Umbrella frame

ABSTRACT

An umbrella frame which closes into compact form including a linear shank, a plurality of supporting ribs, a radial assembly connecting each supporting rib to first and second bushings slidably mounted on the linear shank. A weather-resistant fabric mounted on the umbrella frame is connected to and supported by the supporting ribs and fixed to the top end of the linear shank at a central portion thereof. From the normal closed position the second sliding bushing may be telescoped upwardly along the linear shank to displace the radial assemblies in the frame and urge the supporting ribs into an open position.

United States Patent Garay 1 Dec. 18, 1973 [54] UMBRELLA FRAME [56] References Cited [75] Inventor: Fernando Creixell Garay, Onate, FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS Spam 785.872 5 1935 France 135/25 [73] Assignee: Hijos De Juan De Garay S.A., Primary Examiner j Karl Be Onate Spam Att0rneyAlex Friedman et all [22] Filed: July 17, 1972 21 Appl. No.: 272,525 [57] ABSTRACT An umbrella frame which closes into compact form [30] Foreign Application priority Data including a linear shank, a plurality of supportingribs, Jul 30 197] 5 am 393 795 a radial assembly connecting each supporting Hi) to 3 197] Spain 393861 first and second bushings slidably mounted on the lin- 58 197 Spain 395201 ear shank. A weather-resistant fabric mounted on the s. Spain 397L734 umbrella frame is connected to and supported by the p supporting ribs and fixed to the top end of the linear shank at a central portion thereof. From the normal Closed position the second Sliding bushing y be e18- [58] Field of Search ..:......I...:.....:.:.:::::::.... 135/20-26 scoped upwardly along near Shank displace the radial assemblies in the frame and urge the supporting ribs into an open position.

5 Claims, 15 Drawing Figures PNFNTEUDEC 18 1975 SHEET 10F 8 PATENTEDUEC 18 I975 3.779.260

sum 5 BF 8 PATENTEUUEC18 ma 3.779 260 saw 7 [3F 8 UMBRELLA FRAME BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION This invention relates generally to umbrella frames and more particularly to umbrella frames which close into a compact form when not in use. Umbrellas with collapsible frames enjoy public acceptance because they close into a compact manageable form when in disuse and perform satisfactorily when in use.

While current collapsible umbrella frames perform satisfactorily, the weather-resistant fabric mounted on such frames requires extra handling before the frame is reciprocated from a closed to open position and after the frame is reciprocated from an open to closed position. Such extra handling shortens the useful life of the umbrella because the weather-resistant fabric tends to rip, fray, or disconnect from its mountings on the umbrella frame. By providing a collapsible umbrella frame which eliminates the extra handling to which the.

weather-resistant fabric is usually subjected, the useful life of the umbrella may be extended and the umbrella may be collapsed into compact form more readily.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Generally speaking, the compact collapsible umbrella frame of this invention includes a linear shank with top and bottom ends and a plurality of supporting ribs. A handle may be mounted on the bottom end of the linear shank to make it easier to hand-carry. Each supporting rib is connected to the linear shank by a radial assembly comprising first and second coupling rods pivotally connected at one end to the supporting rib and slidably connected at their opposite ends to the linear shank. The connections are adapted to permit the supporting ribs to reciprocate with respect to the linear shank. The radial assembly includes a third coupling rod, which is pivotally connected at its ends to both the first coupling rod and the top end of the linear shank. The third coupling rod limits the reciprocal movement of the supporting rib in relation to the linear shank.

The first and second coupling rods are slidably connected to the linear shank through a means for reciprocating the supporting ribs or reciprocating means, which is slidably mounted on the linear shank. The reciprocating means is adapted to telescope along the axial length of the linear shank. The slidable connection between the first and second coupling rods and the linear shank is effected by pivotally connecting the first and second coupling rods to the reciprocating means which is slidably mounted on the linear shank.

The supporting ribs provide the skeleton frame on which the weather-resistant fabric may be mounted. The weather-resistant fabric may be tied, sewn, or otherwise fastened to each supporting rib in the skeleton frame. The weather-resistant fabric is also fixed to the top end of the linear shank for added support.

When the reciprocating means is urged upwardly on the linear shank toward the top end thereof, the supporting ribs are extended upwardly and outwardly away from the linear shank until they undergo a slight elastic deformation which pulls the weather-resistant fabric taut against the supporting ribs. The umbrella frame is then in an open position. The umbrella frame may be drawn into a closed position by urging the reciprocating means downwardly toward the bottom end of the linear shank, which serves to retract the supporting ribs toward the linear shank. The recurrent extension and retraction which the supporting ribs may be urged to undergo as the reciprocating means is telescoped upwardly and downwardly on the linear shank is herein defined as a reciprocating movement.

The supporting ribs are indirectly connected to the linear shank through the radial assemblies, and when the umbrella frame is in an open position, an annulus is defined between ends of the supporting ribs and the top end of the linear shank. The weather-resistant fabric mounted on the supporting ribs is not directly supported through that annulus. In an open position the tension of the supporting ribs is sufficient to stretch the fabric taut across the umbrella frame. As the umbrella frame assumes a closed position, the weather-resistant fabric covering the annulus between linear shank and supporting ribs is drawn into the annulus and remains housed in the annulus as the frame is closed.

Therefore, the umbrella frame itself provides a housing for a portion of the weather-resistant fabric. Also, the weather-resistant fabric is automatically housed in and released from the annulus as the frame is reciprocated through closed and open positions, respectively. The umbrella frame of this invention offers the particu' lar advantage that the fabric covering need not be specially manually handled before, during or after opening and closing operations. This advantage contributes to the length of the useful life of the umbrella.

Additionally, while the frame compacts to manageable form, it may in the open position afford greater lateral protection than conventional collapsible umbrellas, since the protective arc of the umbrella, in an open position, is not directly limited by the length of the supporting ribs in the umbrella frame. Another particular advantage of this umbrella frame over conventional frames is that greater lateral protection is achieved without at the same time increasing the size of the supporting ribs and the umbrella frame in general.

Still other advantages of the invention will in part be obvious and will in part be apparent from the specification.

The invention accordingly comprises an article of manufacture possessing the features, properties, and the relation of elements which will be exemplified in the article hereinafter described, and the scope of the invention will be indicated in the claims.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS For a fuller understanding of the invention, reference is had to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGS. 13 are side elevational views of one radial assembly of the umbrella frame which illustrate the retracted, partially extended, and fully extended positions of the radial assembly as the umbrella frame is reciprocated from a closed to an open position;

FIG. 4 is a side elevational view of a radial assembly of the umbrella frame in a closed position which illustrates the closed position for a two-piece supporting rib mounted on the radial assembly;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view of a radial assembly and two-piece supporting rib, as shown in FIG. 4, in a fully extended open position;

FIGS. 6 and 7 are exploded sectional views of one type of means for reciprocating the supporting ribs of the umbrella frame in relation to the shank of the frame and locking devices for locking the reciprocating means into a stationary position on the shank;

FIG. 8 is an exploded sectional view of another type of reciprocating means and locking device therefor which may be used to lock the means into a stationary position on the shank;

FIGS. 9 and are sectional views which illustrate the correlative position of the reciprocating means shown in FIG. 8 when the umbrella frame is in the closed and open positions;

FIG. 1 l is a side elevational view of two radial assemblies and supporting ribs which illustrates the annular cavity formed between the ends of the supporting ribs and linear shank and which acts to house weatherresistant fabric when the frame is in the closed position;

FIGS. 12 are schematic representations of the umbrella frame of the invention and serve to illustrate cor-relative positions of elements in the frame as the frame is reciprocated to a fully extended open position.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring now to FIGS. 1 3, sliding bushings 8 and 10 are slidably mounted on linear shank 5. Lower bushing 10 is slidably fitted on the elongated sleeve of upper bushing 8. Crown 1 is mounted on the top end of linear shank 5 and weather-resistant fabric 12 is fastened in the annular groove of crown 1. At one set of ends, coupling rods 4 and 6 are respectively pivotally mounted in the annular grooves of crowns 7 and 9 of upper and lower bushings 8 and 10. At their opposite ends coupling rods 4 and 6 are pivotally mounted on supporting rib 11. The pivotal mounting is effected through lugs 13 and 14 mounted on supporting rib 1 1 to which coupling rods 6 and 4 are respectively joined. Coupling rod 2 is pivotally connected at both ends to crown 1 and coupling rod 4. The pivotal connections are effected by mounting one end of coupling rod 2 in the annular groove of crown 1 and joining the other end of coupling rod 2 to lug 3 mounted on coupling rod 4.

As lower bushing 10 is urged upwardly along the fitted sleeve of upper bushing 8, coupling rod 6 pivots outwardly and urges supporting rib 11 upwardly. Coupling rod 4 restrains the upward movement of supporting rib 1 1 and supporting rib 1 l pivots outwardly at lug 14 until coupling rod 6 has been urged into a substantially lateral position by the upward force exerted on lower bushing 10. As coupling rod 6 displaces supporting rib 11, the resilient interaction between supporting rib 11 and coupling rod 4 urges upper bushing 8 upwardly along linear shank 5 until coupling rod 4 is substantially laterally extended. Lower bushing 10 may be urged upwardly until the top surface of crown 9 is flush with the bottom surface of crown 7. Coupling rod 2 restrains the upward movement of coupling rod 4 and provides the necessary restraining force to elastically deform supporting rib 11 into the characteristic umbrella shape when the frame is urged into a fully open extended position.

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, supporting rib 11 may comprise two retractable supporting rods 11 and 17 pivotally connected to each other at gusset 16. Gusset l6 limits the pivotal movement of supporting rod 17 to a semicircle. Therefore when lower bushing 20 is urged upwardly and the frame is in an open position, as shown in FIG. 5, supporting rods 11 and 17 are linearly aligned.

Referring now to FIGS. 6 and 7 which are illustrative of one type of reciprocating means that may be slidably mounted on linear shank 5, the elongated sleeve of upper bushing 8 is fitted around linear shank 5. At the top end of the elongated sleeve and around the periphery thereof crown 7 is mounted. Flange 23 is mounted around the periphery of the lower end of the elongated sleeve of upper bushing 8.

Lower bushing 10 is fitted around the elongated sleeve of upper bushing 8 and comprises a brief sleeve portion terminating at its upper end in crown 9. The slidable movement of lower bushing 10 along the elon gated sleeve of upper bushing 8 is restricted at the bottom end thereof by flange 23 and at the upper end thereof by crown 7. FIGS. 6 and 7 show the relative positions of the upper and lower bushings after the frame has been urged into an open position after crown 9 of lower bushing 10 has been urged past conventional cantilevered stop 18 mounted on linear shank 5. Inadvertent downward movement of lower bushing 10 which would cause the umbrella frame to accidentally close is prevented by the action of cantilevered stop 18. Another type of stop device that may be mounted in linear shank 5 is shown in FIG. 7 in which resilient elbow 15 acts to maintain the position of lower bushing 10 and finger l9 limits the further upward movement of upper bushing 8.

FIG. 8 shows another type of bushing arrangement that may be used to open and close the umbrella frame. In this arrangement upper bushing 8 and lower bushing 10 are independent of each other and both are directly slidably mounted on linear shank 5. The bushings are shown in their correlative positions when the frame is open. In this arrangement, crown 7 of upper bushing 8 is displaced downwardly toward the bottom end of the elongated sleeve of upper bushing 8 and flange 23 has been removed. The upward sliding action of upper bushing 8 is limited by crown l at the top end of linear shank 5. Therefore, as lower bushing 10 urges upper bushing 8 upwardly toward the top end of linear shank 5, crown 1 acts to stop that upward movement. The inadvertent or accidental downward movement of lower bushing 10 is prevented by cantilevered stop 18. Either of the bushing arrangements shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 or FIG. 8 may be used in the collapsible umbrella frame with the same satisfactory results.

FIGS. 9 and 10 show the correlative positions of the bushing arrangement of FIG. 8 when the frame is respectively in a closed and open position. In the views shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 cantilevered stop 18 is hidden from view but acts to block the downward movement of lower bushing 10 when it has reached the position shown in FIG. 10.

Referring now to FIG. 11 which shows the umbrella frame in a partially opened position, spacer means 22 are connected between coupling rods 4 and 6. One end of spacer means 22 is pivotally connected to coupling rod 4 through lug 21. The other end of spacer means 22 is slidably connected to coupling rod 6. The slidable connection may be effected by pivotally connecting a straight pin tie bar to a slidable sleeve mounted on coupling rod 6. Alternatively, spacer means 22 may be a ring which encircles coupling rod 6 and is pivotally connected to coupling rod 4 through lug 21. Spacer means 22 limits the maximum spacing between coupling rods 4 and 6 as the frame is reciprocated from closed to open positions. Since the maximum spacing between coupling rods 4 and 6 is stabilized by spacer means 22, the relative spacing between upper and lower bushings 8 and is also stabilized. Spacer means 22 also serves to redistribute tensile stress between coupling rods 4 and 6 to avoid a fracture or bend therein.

Referring now to FIGS. 12 which show the juxtaposition of elements in the umbrella frame as the frame is moved from a closed to a fully extended open position. In a closed position, as shown in FIG. 12, coupling rods 4 and 6 are substantially in parallel alignment with each other. Similarly, coupling rods 4 and 6 are also substantially in parallel alignment with each other when the frame is in a fully extended open position.

FIG. 12 15 show the independent bushing arrangement detailed in FIG. 8. As lower bushing 10 is urged upwardly on linear shank 5, coupling rod 6 is impelled outwardly urging supporting rod 1 1 to its full lateral extension. As lower bushing 10 is further advanced upwardly and coupling rod 6 reaches the point of its maximum separation from coupling rod 4 through the action of spacer means 22, coupling rod 4 is urged outwardly away from linear shank 5 and the frame begins to assume its characteristic shape. When the frame is partially opened, as shown in FIG. 14, coupling rods 4 and 6 re-assume their substantially parallel alignment through the action of spacer means 22 and the relative positions of upper and lower bushings 8 and 10 is stabilized. When lower bushing 10 is urged still further upwardly to overcome the correlative positions of stability between the bushings, the frame assumes a fully extended open position and supporting ribs 11 undergo a slight elastic deformation against weather-resistant fabric 12 to thereby give the frame the characteristic umbrella appearance.

As shown in FIGS. 12 and 13, supporting rib 11 and coupling rods 2 and 4, define an annulus which houses the portion of the weather-resistant fabric 12 extending from the upper end of supporting rib 11 to crown I mounted on linear shank 5. As the frame is urged into a fully extended open position, the weather-resistant fabric withdraws from its annular housing to cover the supporting rib skeleton of the frame.

To close the frame, lower bushing 10 is urged downwardly causing coupling rod 6 to retract inwardly. The displacement of coupling rod 6 causes a similar inward retraction of coupling rod 4 through the action of spacer means 22. When the coupling rods 4 and 6 are in the retracted position shown in FIG. 13, a further downward pressure exerted on lower bushing 10 causes supporting ribs 11 to pivot downwardly at pivot point 14 into a closed position. Simultaneously with the closing action weather-resistant fabric 12 is again housed in the annulus defined by coupling rods 2 and 4 and supporting rib 11.

The description and figures described and illustrate the collapsible umbrella frame of this invention in terms of only one or two of the radial assemblies which may be included in the total structure merely for clarity of description. It is understood that the complete collapsible umbrella frame includes several such radial assemblies and supporting ribs.

It will thus be seen that the advantages set forth above, amoung those made apparent from the preceding description, are efficiently attained and, since certain changes may be made in the above article without 6 departing from thespirit and scope of the invention, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description and shown in the accompanying drawings shall be interpretted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. A compact collapsible umbrella frame comprising in combination, a linear shank with top and bottom ends, a plurality of supporting ribs comprising first and second retractable supporting rods pivotably connected to each other at one end, means for gusseting the pivotal connection of said first and second supporting rods so as to limit pivotal movement of said first supporting rod relative to said second supporting rod, a radial assembly for each supporting rib comprising first and second coupling rods, respectively, pivotably connected at one end to said supporting rib and slidably connected at their respective opposite ends to said linear shank so as to permit reciprocating movement of said supporting rib with respect to said linear shank, and a third coupling rod which is pivotably connected at one end to said first coupling rod and at an other end to said top end of said linear shank for limiting reciprocating movement of said supporting rib relative to said linear shank, means for reciprocating said supporting rib slidably mounted on said linear shank to telescope along the axial length thereof comprising first and second bushings respectively slidably mounted on said linear shank, said first bushing being arranged above said second bushing with said first coupling rod being pivotably connected to said first bushing and said second coupling rod being pivotably connected to said second bushing, said first bushing including an elongated sleeve portion, a first crown mounted on the periphery of the upper end of said elongated tubular member, said first crown being provided with an annular recess for receiving said opposite end of said first coupling rod, a circular flange mounted on the periphery of the lower end of said elongated sleeve portion, said second bushing being slidably mounted on said elongated tubular member, its slidable movement along said elongated tubular member being thereby confined between said first crown and said circular flange, said second bushing being provided with a second crown having an annular recess therein for receiving said opposite end of said second coupling rod, and spacer means interposed between said first and second coupling rods to fix the spaced relationship of said first and second coupling rods to each other comprising a tie bar which is pivotably connected to said second coupling rod.

2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said tie bar of said spacer means is an O-ring being pivotably connected to said first coupling rod through an apertured lug fixedly mounted on said first coupling rod.

3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said tie bar is a straight pin pivotably connected to said first coupling rod through an apertured lug and slidably connected to said second coupling rod through a collar encircling said second coupling rod.

4. The compact collapsible umbrella frame of claim 1 including:

a weather-resistant fabric which is fixedly connected to and supported by said plurality of supporting ribs,

said weather-resistant fabric being fixedly connected, in the central portion thereof, to the top end of said linear shank.

5. The compact collapsible umbrella frame of claim 1 including:

means for locking said reciprocating means into a stationary position on said linear shank,

said means being mounted in said linear shank. 

1. A compact collapsible umbrella frame comprising in combination, a linear shank with top and bottom ends, a plurality of supporting ribs comprising first and second retractable supporting rods pivotably connected to each other at one end, means for gusseting the pivotal connection of said first and second supporting rods so as to limit pivotal movement of said first supporting rod relative to said second supporting rod, a radial assembly for each supporting rib comprising first and second coupling rods, respectively, pivotably connected at one end to said supporting rib and slidably connected at their respective opposite ends to said linear shank so as to permit reciprocating movement of said supporting rib with respect to said linear shank, and a third coupling rod which is pivotably connected at one end to said first coupling rod and at an other end to said top end of said linear shank for limiting reciprocating movement of said supporting rib relative to said linear shank, means for reciprocating said supporting rib slidably mounted on said linear shank to telescope along the axial length thereof comprising first and second bushings respectively slidably mounted on said linear shank, said first bushing being arranged above said second bushing with said first coupling rod being pivotably connected to said first bushing and said second coupling rod being pivotably connected to said second bushing, said first bushing including an elongated sleeve portion, a first crown mounted on the periphery of the upper end of said elongated tubular member, said first crown being provided with an annular recess for receiving said opposite end of said first coupling rod, a circular flange mounted on the periphery of the lower end of said elongated sleeve portion, said second bushing being slidably mounted on said elongated tubular member, its slidable movement along said elongated tubular member being thereby confined between said first crown and said circular flange, said second bushing being provided with a second crown having an annular recess therein for receiving said opposite end of said second coupling rod, and spacer means interposed between said first and second coupling rods to fix the spaced relationship of said first and second coupling rods to each other comprising a tie bar which is pivotably connected to said second coupling rod.
 2. The combination of claim 1 wherein said tie bar of said spacer means is an O-ring being pivotably connected to said first coupling rod through an apertured lug fixedly mounted on said first coupling rod.
 3. The combination of claim 1 wherein said tie bar is a straight pin pivotably connected to said first coupling rod through an apertured lug and slidably connected to said second coupling rod through a collar encircling said second coupling rod.
 4. The compact collapsible umbrella frame of claim 1 including: a weather-resistant fabric which is fixedly connected to and supported by said plurality of supporting ribs, said weather-resistant fabric being fixedly connected, in the central portion thereof, to the top end of said linear shank.
 5. The compact collapsible umbrella frame of claim 1 including: means for locking said reciprocating means into a stationary position on said linear shank, said means being mounted in said linear shank. 